Avalon stable @ 98,986Mhash/sec

[PuertoLibre]

Is there enough spacing between the modules to put gpu ram sinks on each individual chip? I have about 2 kg of them, yes kilograms  

Infact just checked how much the bag of them weigh, it was close to 4 kilograms so I should have plenty for 1x3 module avalon once I get it.

I was thinking people should replace the thermal compound used in the Avalon unit. Considering there are some people who found out some units have no thermal compound or had it improperly applied.

Assuming that the thermal compound is crap and/or low efficiency, then transferring the heat from the chips to the heatsink would probably help some at higher clocks. A good number of thermal pads with 6 or 7watt/mk should help alot if this is the case. (It would be the equivalent to MX4.)

The next problem after that is how (in)efficient the heatsink actually is at discharging the heat with the current design.

Then finally finding an air temperature that allows the heatsink to work at a reasonable pace. (not too cold because it costs $$$ to keep it at that temp)

etc

The exposed metal area under the chips are shallower than the surface of the PCB, if you put a large piece of heatpad then maybe there will still be air gap between the metal part and heat pad, and you can't guarantee a good pressure on all the chips' contact area at the same time, so I think thermal compound is the solution: You put one big drop of the thermal compound on each metal area, and tighten the screws, the thermal compound will spread out depends on the gap distance between chip metal area and the heatsink, so that every chip will get a good contact with heatsink

Thanks for the images.

I was actually thinking of cutting the thermal pads into squares rather than using a full sheet like a blanket. I have no clue yet what the thickness of the thermal pad should be. (.5mm > 1.5? (in increments of .5mm)

The result of this handling is reduced temp of 3-4 degree under same fan speed, but since fan speed will always adjust according to temp3, the real effect is just lowered fan speed and maybe 1 degree lower temp. Anyway, you can be sure each chip get maximum cooling now. Then you can also add thermal compound between heatsink and bottom of the case, and cool the bottom of case with an external table fan, this can drop another 3 degree of temp

Ah, I hadn't actually thought of doing that. That is a pretty good idea.

So far I have been hesitant to change anything of the stock configuration. (I am not the "tweaker" kind)

I have only placed a strong laptop fan towards the bottom of the Avalon Unit to increase the heat dissipation of the bottom aluminum plate where the modules are connected.

[melmo]

I have only placed a strong laptop fan towards the bottom of the Avalon Unit to increase the heat dissipation of the bottom aluminum plate where the modules are connected.

Did that lower temps or reduce the fan speed?

[scout113]

Someone with a restaurant job needs to try running one of these in a walk-in!

[MagicMike523]

This Avalon is for sale. Asking 190BTC/shipped.

[loshia]

This Avalon is for sale. Asking 190BTC/shipped.

Is it still working

And ROI tends to be infinity?

Good luck to the happy buyer and pls  french fries for free also

[ebereon]

My avalon (batch#2 black) have one big black thermal pad, so no thermal compound. It's really bad to remove because it sticks on the screw holes. I did it with one module and added artic mx2 one all chips. But it was not helping much to get higher clocks.

Better would be to add/drill all the holes, because the small modules do not get good "pressed" on the heatsink.

I have good temps without AC: 16 / 33 / 36 @ 355 --avalon-auto after 2h

If i go 365, same temps but 3,4% hw rate. Is it the PSU that prevents higher clocks? I run the stock 750W. Well i will test a 1000W PSU i have spare.

greets,
ebereon

[Keninishna]

Anyone feeling dare devilish and want to make a volt mod to the avalon chips with custom cooling and get these bad boys running at 400 mhz??

[loshia]

My avalon (batch#2 black) have one big black thermal pad, so no thermal compound. It's really bad to remove because it sticks on the screw holes. I did it with one module and added artic mx2 one all chips. But it was not helping much to get higher clocks.

Better would be to add/drill all the holes, because the small modules do not get good "pressed" on the heatsink.

I have good temps without AC: 16 / 33 / 36 @ 355 --avalon-auto after 2h

If i go 365, same temps but 3,4% hw rate. Is it the PSU that prevents higher clocks? I run the stock 750W. Well i will test a 1000W PSU i have spare.

greets,
ebereon

I guess it is TPS power converter and to much noise in avalon chips power. Just a guess. At that clock TPS my be driven at abot 90% of it's capacity. I am still waiting for someone to measure accurately chip consumption at 1.2V when overclocked.  

[Felipeo]

Congrats Mike! It is looking good

was wondering how long it'd take people to notice ( and more importantly share the constant that we've released on github.)

the number you are all aiming for is 450 of course, that's not really possible on just air cooling.

This is first good information for batch 3 customer form long time, maybe this will help achieve break even, but now it will be good to get nice water cooling

[FullFathom5]

Because I have a small brain, I am not clear what this means:

was wondering how long it'd take people to notice ( and more importantly share the constant that we've released on github.)

the number you are all aiming for is 450 of course, that's not really possible on just air cooling.

Is the 450 value clock speed, MH/s, GH/s??? Is that value for a 3, 4 card Avalon unit, a per chip over clocking value or a per chip hash value?

The discussion in this thread seems unclear.

[Silv0r]

Because I have a small brain, I am not clear what this means:

was wondering how long it'd take people to notice ( and more importantly share the constant that we've released on github.)

the number you are all aiming for is 450 of course, that's not really possible on just air cooling.

Is the 450 value clock speed, MH/s, GH/s??? Is that value for a 3, 4 card Avalon unit, a per chip over clocking value or a per chip hash value?

The discussion in this thread seems unclear.

Per Chip. It is the frequency. 450 MHz. But from overclocking 282 MHz to 450 MHz this would be a sick overclock. Even with active watercooling i.e.

O.o But good luck!

[FullFathom5]

Thanks Silv0r.

Are there any reliable estimates for amp/power requirements at that speed (within a tolerable range)?

Because I have a small brain, I am not clear what this means:

was wondering how long it'd take people to notice ( and more importantly share the constant that we've released on github.)

the number you are all aiming for is 450 of course, that's not really possible on just air cooling.

Is the 450 value clock speed, MH/s, GH/s??? Is that value for a 3, 4 card Avalon unit, a per chip over clocking value or a per chip hash value?

The discussion in this thread seems unclear.

Per Chip. It is the frequency. 450 MHz. But from overclocking 282 MHz to 450 MHz this would be a sick overclock. Even with active watercooling i.e.

O.o But good luck!

[Bicknellski]

Oil. If not with an Avalon rig... you will see it with a Klondike or something similar.

[bitdude]

Just to sum up things just to make sure I understand it well ...

Assuming I am able to cool it down properly (server housing room with low temp), what is possible with the very default batch #2 Avalon? It's default clock is 300. Would it be somehow dangerous with the default PSU to try to overclock it? If I set the conf to 300 and range 300-350, should it handle it?

[dogie]

Just to sum up things just to make sure I understand it well ...

Assuming I am able to cool it down properly (server housing room with low temp), what is possible with the very default batch #2 Avalon? It's default clock is 300. Would it be somehow dangerous with the default PSU to try to overclock it? If I set the conf to 300 and range 300-350, should it handle it?

350 should be *safe* out of the box on the Enermax PSUs. will net 82-83GH. Anything more and I think we're waiting for the volt mods to be honest.

[el_rlee]

Just to sum up things just to make sure I understand it well ...

Assuming I am able to cool it down properly (server housing room with low temp), what is possible with the very default batch #2 Avalon? It's default clock is 300. Would it be somehow dangerous with the default PSU to try to overclock it? If I set the conf to 300 and range 300-350, should it handle it?

350 should be *safe* out of the box on the Enermax PSUs. will net 82-83GH. Anything more and I think we're waiting for the volt mods to be honest.

I am running active water cooling - netting around that. Cooling is not the issue for getting beyond that any more.